REFERENCE SECTION

While by now you probably have a fairly good feel for the game, there is still
a great deal more to be discovered. Duelmasters is a game that, similar to
chess, has a limited number of variables yet virtually unlimited
possibilities. This section is designed to flesh out your knowledge of many
elements in the game. Our primary concern in making Duelmasters was to
provide players with an atmosphere for experimentation and discovery. Once
you have read this entire book, you will still have only scratched the surface
of the strategic and tactical aspects of arena combat simulated by the
Duelmasters game program. This section is not intended as the definitive
approach to playing the game; rather, it is a starting point from which you
may develop your own dueling philosophy.

If you establish diplomatic ties with other players in your arena, you will
discover that for every player with an opinion on fighting strategy, there
will be two players who believe they've come up with something better. For
better or worse, some players spend months discovering some subtlety they
missed by not reading the rules thoroughly. Just as often, a player fresh to
an arena will discover something that another player spent six months
learning. But don't let this scare you. Duelmasters is designed to allow
players the ability to plan, experiment, take risks and play the game from a
wide variety of angles. You can play to bring an entire team to victory, or
to carry one or two warriors to glory, or both. You can try to grasp the
fighting principles of all ten fighting styles or set out to make a name for
yourself as the acknowledged master of one or two particular styles. This
reference section will serve as a first step in your exploration of the
Warrior's Path, the ancient art of gladiatorial combat.